This invention relates generally to the field of support apparatus for medical devices and more particularly to a medical device mounting apparatus having a flexible shaft.
Medical devices such as enteral feeding pumps are typically attached to an IV pole or other support member by a pole clamp or other attachment device that holds the pump in a fixed position relative to the support member. One existing pole clamp design allows one degree of freedom of motion of the pump relative to the pole by allowing the pump to be rotated or indexed between fixed orientations relative to the IV pole. However, existing pole clamp designs do not permit two or more degrees of freedom of motion of the pump such that the pump may be moved horizontally, vertically, or laterally relative to the IV pole for easier viewing and operation of the pump.
Such existing pole clamps are typically mounted directly on the housing of the pump so that the pump housing is in close proximity to the IV pole. As such, the pumps mounted by conventional pole clamps take up a large amount of vertical space on the IV pole that may be needed for other devices and/or medical fluid containers.
Furthermore, some existing pole clamp designs are limited in that they allow secure attachment of the feeding pump to a vertical cylindrical support structure such as an IV pole but cannot be readily mounted on other support structures such as a horizontal table top. Even if the clamp could be attached to some horizontal structure (e.g., a horizontally extending bed rail), the medical device would not be oriented properly for use. Such existing pole clamps do not allow an enteral feed pump or other medical device to be used outside of a hospital or medical care facility where vertical IV poles are unavailable and cumbersome for use.